Competent management is generally recognized as essential to the success of a business. To obtain competent management, businesses often employ performance appraisals as an integral part of management training and promotion programs. Typically, an appraisal comprises a questionnaire or other type of survey device for eliciting responses from the manager to be evaluated and from selected co-workers. The survey may include a series of questions designed to obtain responses suitable for developing data respecting the strength and weaknesses of the manager, in relation to management duties, and how the performance of the manager is perceived by others. Frequently, the response data is compiled for review by the manager as a feedback device, upon which to base corrective action, or otherwise inspire improvement.
Existing evaluation tools, however, are largely ineffective because they often yield results that are unreliable in that they are not capable of reproduction and that are invalid in that they are incorrect. This is particularly problematic because federal law now requires that any evaluation having an impact on employee promotion, demotion, assignment, training, or job responsibilities, be able to prove its reliability and validity. Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for an improved tool for evaluating the leadership effectiveness of a manager.